Guardians of Time Book Four Release and Year of The Follow Up’s

It’s official, the Guardians of Time Book Four will be released in 2017. The month is yet to be determined, but it will be this year. The wait is shortening. Within six-eight months The Guardians of Time Book Four will be released.

It looks like 2017 is going to be the year of the follow ups. Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere was originally published 21 years ago, and now he tells us he’s writing a follow up called The Seven Sisters. So what has inspired Neil Gaiman to write the follow up after such a long time? This is what he said last week in The Guardian:

“When Lenny Henry and I came up with the original idea for Neverwhere almost 25 years ago, what attracted us was the idea that we could talk about the homeless, talk about the dispossessed, talk about the people who fall through the cracks, and do it in a way that was exciting and fun and interesting and also relevant and might change people’s heads.

“Neverwhere for me was this glorious vehicle where I could talk about huge serious things and have a ridiculous amount of fun on the way. The giant wheel has turned over the last few years and looking around the work I have been doing for UNHCR for refugees, the kind of shape … London is in now, the kind of ways [it] is different to how it was 20 years ago, meant that I decided that it actually was time to do something.

“Now I had things I was angry about. I cared about things I wanted to put in and I’m now a solid three chapters in to a book called The Seven Sisters.”

And then there’s Philip Pullman. He’s following up His Dark Materials, remember The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass? Who could forget those amazing books. They sold multi millions in 40 languages between 1995 and 2000, and there was even the movie with Nicole Kidman. Philip Pulman’s follow up starts with a book called The Book of Dust and is set to be another trilogy.

From Philip Pulman’s website, this is what he says about why he wrote The Book of Dust:

“I know from their letters and tweets that my readers have been waiting patiently (mostly) for The Book of Dust for a long time. I’ve been writing it for several years, and I’ve been very parsimonious with information about it. It gives me great pleasure and some excitement at last to satisfy their curiosity (and mine) about this book.

“What can I tell you about it? The first thing to say is that Lyra is at the centre of the story. Events involving her open the first chapter, and will close the last. I’ve always wanted to tell the story of how Lyra came to be living at Jordan College and, in thinking about it, I discovered a long story that began when she was a baby and will end when she’s grown up. This volume and the next will cover two parts of Lyra’s life: starting at the beginning of her story and returning to her 20 years later.”

So what inspired me to write the follow up to The Named, The Dark and The Key? Like Philip Pulman, my readers have been requesting a sequel since The Key was published in 2005, twelve years ago. Where it’s different for me, I was planning a fourth book even before The Key’s release. I have notes I’d written from that time, an outline for Book Four, but my life turned upside down that year when I was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis (bone marrow cancer) after seeing my doctor because I was feeling very tired. I don’t think anyone knew it would be 8 years before I would be published again with The Avena Series – Hidden, Broken and Fearless.

Then there’s the matter of timing. The timing just feels right now. All going well, Book Four won’t be just the conclusion, but also the beginning of a new journey.

16 comments

Thank you so much for liking my posts! I absolutely love your Guardians of Time series! It literally was a highlight of my childhood, my sister used to read them to my mom and I in the car, and then once I was older I read them myself! I can’t wait to read book 4!

Aw, thank you for telling me how you first heard the words. I love to hear how the Guardians of Time books have touched the lives of readers, and in your case a whole family. I look forward to hearing what you think of Book Four.

I´m very happy to hear that book four will be released in a few months…and to read that it´s going to be the beginning of a new jouney!!! This means that it´s going to be more about guardians of time?? with the same characters?? Can you tell us anything about it?

Can you give us any clue about book four? something….points of view, anything about the plot, the possible design of the cover page…In espite of the near release , we need to palliate this anxiety!

I love how excited you are for the release of Guardians of Time Book Four, and yes, if all goes well, this book could be the start of a new series, and yes, with the same characters and a few new ones.

The cover design is still being worked on. There is a lot of information to be released yet. The cover and title reveals. Recently I put a Book Four teaser up on Facebook. It read: “Are you ready to meet a new voice? An unnamed character from one of the first three books will have a major role in the upcoming sequel.” So I will tell you now that this new voice is female and will be one of the two main characters who will tell the story. In other words she will have one of the two main points of view.

If you can just hang on a little longer there will soon be an explosion of information as I begin the process of letting the world know that the Guardians of Time series is not finished yet.

I am so happy to hear this!! I have read and re-read the guardians of time books so many times . I love your books so much. I struggle to read due to dealing with depression and anxiety but I can still read your books as they take my brain someplace else. I cannot wait to read a book four and possible more about these characters I loved so much . I really want Rochelle to come back and not be dead. When I first read The Key I cried at the end . Thank you for writing more about these characters and I cannot wait to read what you have dreamed up 🙂

I see in goodreads the announment of book 4, it says “published september 2017”. This means it will be released this month??It would be awesome!

Meanwhile, to ease the wait, I listen your playlist on youtube and it makes me think what will happen in GOT4. Most of the songs are melancolic and it makes me wonder if the story is going to be more darker or sadder. If you had to choose one song for each character (of the old known) for this new book, which would you choose?

There has been a delay in the releasing of GOT4. I will announce when as soon as I can. I want this book to be as perfect as I can make it so I hope you will understand. As for the Playlist, you are so sweet. I just uploaded a few more and deleted a few as well. The songs change as I work through the manuscript. We all know how The Key ended and the new start of this series begins the very next day, so it is sad and melancholy, at least to begin with. The music reflects this.

Choosing a song for each character is an interesting idea. Let me think about this and get back to you about it.

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm. I ask for your patience, the wait will be worth it.

I was one of the lucky ones who asked for the book in Amazon and it came to me just three days ago.
I just got reading the shadow and I can only say that I love it!! thank you very much for continuing to write about these characters that I have loved so much.

Thank you letting me know. And you’re entirely welcome. I always wanted to write that book, and now it’s done, and I’m thrilled to hear you’re enjoying it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on The Shadow when you finish it too.

Hello Marianne, I have been so excited to read The Shadow and went onto Amazon to order it . It only seems to have a Kindle Version and no paper back book. I don’t own a Kindle and was wondering if the book is being released in paper back so I can read it? If not do you know how I can get to read the book? I didn’t buy a kindle as I don’t like them, I like to have books in my hands and feel the pages beneath my fingers and Kindles don’t have that.

Don’t worry, The Shadow will be available to purchase in Paperback from the 10th of March. It should start appearing on Amazon and other bookshops a day or two before or a day after. So please hang on, it’s only a week until The Shadow will appear online in Paperback.

You’re not the only one to ask with concern, needing the paperback to hold in their hands. I love the feel of a solid book in my hand, the scent of the paper, the touch of a glossy cover. It’s awesome.

Thank you so much! I cannot wait to read it . I have been battling depression and anxiety for a few years now and it makes it very hard to read. I have a feeling it won’t get in the way of me reading The Shadow as I won’t let it.
Thanks for the stories and I hope to keep reading all the adventures you write about in the future

I wish you all the best for your depression and anxiety. I have experienced depression and anxiety myself on and off since I was fourteen years old. I found solace in reading, and in writing too. Meditation helps, and understanding how depression and anxiety are symptoms of fear that makes your body react in certain ways to combat those symptoms. It might sound simple, but it’s not at all. It’s more complicated than people realise and only those who experience anxiety and depression can fully understand.

Thank you Marianne. It means a lot to hear that despite having experienced depression and anxiety, you have managed to write such wonderful stories and share them with the world . I am glad it has not stopped you from doing that . I paint a lot and write spoken word poetry and I have a few stories in me too. I appreciate what you said . Many people do not understand how complicated it is. I hadn’t looked at it like that before: that it is just symptoms of fear and how the body reacts to it. That helps to think of it like that, instead of getting caught up in the story of the fear. I do mindfulness compassion which has been helpful . I also deal with CPTSD and have not found anything that helps with that yet, and I hope to . I have counseling which is really good. I sometimes write short stories about my fears to get a better perspective on them. I find it really helpful.

It sounds as if you have been through a lot in your life already. And from your messages I can tell you are a strong girl with a backbone of solid steel. Keep chipping away and working on improving your situation and healing your soul. This journey called life can be long but it’s so very worth it.